Isa's Baking Corner

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
2 egg yolks
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fruit preserves, any flavor

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DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and egg yolks. Mix in flour a little bit at a time until a soft dough forms. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. If dough is too soft, refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes. Place balls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Use your finger or an instrument of similar size to make a well in the center of each cookie. Fill the hole with 1/2 teaspoon of preserves.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the bottom. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.

I made this for the Easter Sunday dinner for my friends, it was a big hit. I also sprinkle some colored sugar toppings on my cupcake, it made it more interesting to eat.

Ingredients:

6 TBSP Cocoa Powder
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 Egg
1/3 cup brewed expresso, cooled
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 12 muffin tins with muffin cup paper.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt and sugar.
In a medium bowl, whisk together expresso, buttermilk, egg, oil, and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture into dry mixture. Stir to combine all ingredients.Scoop the batter into prepared muffin tins, bake for 19 minutes.


To prepare vanilla icing:

1 cup powdered sugar
1 TBS milk, plus more to make the frosting thin enough to spread out on the cupcake.
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all ingredient together.

You can use 6 mini bundt cake pan or a 9-inch round cake pan.

Ingredients:
1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup butter, soften
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
1/2 cup 1 % milk
2 tsps instant coffee granules
1 1/2 tsps vanilla extract

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 F. grease baking pan with cooking spray.

Combine first 5 ingredients together. Add butter, egg whites, & egg into flour mixture, blend well; add milk, coffee granules & vanilla extract, mix well. Pour batter into prepared baking pan.
Bake at 350 F for 35 minutes


Chocolate Glaze:

1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup sugar
3 TBS hot water

combine all together, set aside.

1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat bran
2 tsps Baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsps ground cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, chilled
1 egg
2/3 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup chopped dates
I also add some walnut into this recipe.

Method:

preheat oven to 350 F.

Combine first 7 ingredients together, cut in butter. Add the egg, buttermilk, dates, and walnut if using. Drop the dough with large ice cream scoop onto cookie sheet.

Bake for 25 minutes.

Makes 6 large or 12 small muffins



6 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for tins

3 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups sugar, plus more for sprinkling

1 large egg

2 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup milk

1 3/4 cups blueberries

1. Preheat the oven to 375º; butter large (3 3/4 inches) or small (2 3/4 inches) muffin tins, and set aside. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, egg yolks, and vanilla; mix until well combined. Reduce speed to low; alternate adding reserved flour mixture and milk to mixer, beginning and ending with flour. Remove bowl from mixer; gently fold in berries by hand. Divide batter among muffin tins; sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake until light golden, about 45 minutes for large muffins, about 30 minutes for small muffins. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Remove from pan; transfer to wire rack, and let cool completely.

Photograph by: Ken Kochey

Makes 12; Prep time: 30 minutes; Total time: 1 hour



3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup sour cream

Easy White Icing

Sprinkles (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350° Line 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners.

2. Into a medium bowl, sift together cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each, then beat in vanilla. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture in two batches, alternating with sour cream and beginning and ending with flour.

3. Pour batter into cups, filling each 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

4. Cool in pan 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then spread with Easy White Icing using a table knife or small offset spatula. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired.

This recipe is easy to make. Great with a cup of tea or coffee.

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp Baking soda
2 tsps Baking Powder
1tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup walnuts
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:
Mix first 6 ingredients together. Beat in raisins and walnuts; set aside
Beat together soften butter, sour cream, eggs & vanilla, blend well but don't overbeat. Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture.

Drop the dough with ice cream scoop on the greased cookies sheet, then sprinkle some sugar on top of the dough. Bake at 350 F for 20-22 minutes.

Makes 12 Prep time: 10 minutes; Total time: 45 minutes

Keep a batch of unbaked muffins in the freezer, and you'll always have breakfast or an afternoon snack ready for the oven; there's no need to thaw. The batter goes in the paper-lined muffin tin, then into the freezer. Once frozen, the individual cups can be transferred to plastic storage bags. Be sure to bake the batter in a muffin tin, though, to give the muffins shape.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin-pie spice
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
2 1/2 cup shredded carrots (about 5 medium)


1. Line twelve cups (each 2 1/2 inches wide) of a standard muffin tin with paper liners; set aside. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, pumpkin-pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. 2. In another bowl, whisk together yogurt, butter, and eggs. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and add yogurt mixture. Stir until just combined. Fold in carrots. 3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups. (If desired, muffins can be baked immediately in a 375° oven for about 20 minutes.) Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes, then cover tin with plastic wrap, and freeze until ready to bake, up to 3 months. 4. Preheat oven to 375°. Bake muffins (still frozen) until a toothpick inserted in center of one comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Note: To make your own pumpkin-pie spice, combine one and a half teaspoons ground cinnamon with one-quarter teaspoon each ground ginger and nutmeg. Recipe from Martha Stewart Living